14 Nov Living with your first love

We recently discussed how living with your parents is fulfilling, especially if you are flickering at such low frequency that you are on neither side. If you have grasped how living with your parents is fulfilling and why should you not only choose that but make an all-out effort to pitch in this idea to your parents and spouse, you are on your way to make it happen.

Just follow these simple steps, and you are there living comfortably together, living with your first love.

1. Priority
By prioritising their lifestyle & choices, you will make this journey smoothest possible. Remember prioritising means you take a personal interest and lead like your parents did when you were a kid or like what you do as a parent. Put their interests, hobbies or activities first.
Take leisurely walks, dinner together every day, engage in their interests; make it a ritual. Remember if you prioritise them, they will automatically put you in front, because that’s intrinsic to being parents.

2. Dedicated Space
Ensure a place in your house which is done up especially for them, enliven with their golden days and highlighting the era which they relish the most. Don’t forget to dedicate a wall for pictures of other family members say your siblings and their children, remember they are your parent’s other children/ grandchildren and this wall will give them the title assurance. They must not only have the authority but the final word.

3. Personal Touch
Have a dialogue, a family discussion – on various subjects, sharing nostalgia, embracing new life choices, friends, family, holidays, food, culture and other light talks;
Engage often, do it daily if possible. Focus on what’s possible with you, only you as you have known them since you were an infant; you know how far they can stretch.
Ask for advice, take their opinion, visit family & friends together, and go for a movie together. There will be numerous occasions when you may disagree with them, go back and be the child you were, and you are done, awaken the child in you.

4. Help them follow their Dreams or Calling
A lot of research now tells us that the biggest regret of people is what they could not do, while they could have done.
It may appear hard, challenging, or even impossible for your parents; but it’s never too late. You are the best person in their life to know or find out what was or is their most cherished or crushed dream. Take this on you and to make it happen – their dream, their calling.
No need to hand hold, just a little bit of fertile ground. Let them know; it will make you & their family happy.
Remember, this will help you reinvent yourself, your relationships and you will grow spiritually.

5. Engage with Kids
What better for all three generations if there is love, respect, compassion and longing to be together?
Let your parents and kids bond well – it could anywhere, doing anything that works for them; at the neighbourhood Park, ride to the School, Storytelling, Indoor Games or anything that runs in your family from Art, Music, Spirituality or Science!
Remember, to be aligned on a daily basis and tuning in a little bit.

If you are unable to live with your parents, you must do the least:

1. Visit your parents & Invite them frequently
2. Celebrate festivals as a big joint family
3. Create opportunities for your Children to be with their grandparents.